Initially, mobile phones were used to communicate voice messages and rarely contained support for other features. Currently, mobile phones have become portable information exchange systems and entertainment centers having features that were only imagined a short time ago. For example, currently available mobile phones allow viewing of news, weather, sports and entertainment video updates and play cutting edge three-dimensional games. Features such as video on demand and audio on demand allow playing of video and audio clips. Movie and music fans can download content on their mobile phones, with just a few clicks, having sharpness and clarity. Video messaging and still pictures may be recorded and sent to any e-mail address. Many of these features require substantial airtime or additional charges that are not insignificant.
Short message service (SMS) is a mechanism of delivery of short messages over the mobile networks. It is a store and forward way of sending messages to and from mobile phones. Each short message can include up to 160 characters that can be alphanumeric (text) or binary non-text short messages. SMS has gained rapid popularity because it provides a permanent message, like e-mail, at a fraction of the cost of voice or video messaging and can be sent and received essentially without the interruption that is usually associated with voice communication. However, its absence of other enhancing features limits its usefulness beyond the present.
Accordingly, what is needed in the art is a way to provide an enhancing feature for SMS and particularly one that increases the utility and value associated with employing short messages.